I Still Love You
by PrincessMelissa83
Summary: AU [Oneshot] Inuyasha had an affair. Kagome thought she forgave him, but after a particularly large fight, she decides she needs time to herself and moves out. A year later, how do they still feel about each other?
1. I Still Love You

Disclaimer: I do not own _Inuyasha_. He is the property of Rumiko Takahashi, puppy ears and all. And, although I do own a copy of the cd, I do not own the lyrics to _Austin_. They are owned by Blake Shelton - though if anyone knows where I could get one of him...

* * *

**I Still Love You

* * *

**

Based on the lyrics to _Austin_ by Blake Shelton.

* * *

_Inuyasha,_

_I'm sorry about last night. You know I hate fighting with you, but after everything I think we both need some space to clear our minds. I need to take the time to really forgive you and try to trust you again. I'll call you when I thin k I'm ready and we can see where we go from there - if this is what we both still want._

_Love,_

_Kagome_

Inuyasha crumbled the note and threw it at the living room wall and fell onto the sofa, running a hand through his long dark hair. He'd been trying to call her cell phone for over two hours and hadn't gotten any reply. He figured she'd disconnect it first chance she got and she hadn't left another number.

_She's probably gone off to Kyoto to stay with Sango. They're always talking about how they should spend more time together. _He sighed and closed his eyes. There was no way Sango would let him talk to her if that were true. She was still pissed about the whole Kikyo ordeal.

Damn! He should have never run around behind Kagome's back like that. It was no wonder she left him. But he'd promised Kikyo they'd stay friends and he had thought he and Kagome had moved passed that.

_Guess I was wrong._

The house phone rang and he dashed to it, thinking it was her, only to be disappointed when Miroku's voice came over the line. "So, Rin said she saw you and Kikyo at Machiavelli yesterday during lunch. What's going on, man? I thought the two of you were over."

Inuyasha puffed a long, drawn out sigh. "We are over. We're just friends, geez. She called me yesterday at work and said she needed to talk. She said she was having problems with her boyfriend and needed a friendly shoulder to cry on, so I met her for lunch. What's the big deal?"

"You didn't tell Kagome about it. Did you?" Miroku asked in a knowing voice. "Dude, haven't you screwed up enough?"

He gave a dry laugh. "Apparently not." He sank into a chair and leaned his head back, closing his eyes. "No, I didn't tell Kagome. I didn't want to upset her, but I never dreamed Kikyo would call the house knowing I was at work."

"She's a manipulative bitch. Hadn't you figured that out already? What'd she tell Kagome?"

"Nothing too obvious of course. Just that she wanted to thank me for a wonderful lunch and see if she could get my new cell number. Just enough to make Kagome suspicious.." He scowled. "And before you ask, no, I'm not fucking her. _I_ learn from _my _mistakes, unlike some people."

Miroku laughed. "I deserved that, I suppose. So, what happened? You two fought, obviously, but then what?"

"She left. She packed her shit and left."

"When? Where'd she go?"

"Hell if I know. Sometime last night, I guess. She kicked me out of the bedroom and when I woke up this morning there was a note saying she needed to clear her mind. That's it. Just that she needed to clear her mind. She didn't leave a number or an address or anything."

Miroku whistled through his teeth. "Sorry. You think she's with Sango? I mean, they do spend a lot of time together. They've been wanting to get together ever since Sango moved out and to Kyoto."

He shrugged. "Probably. Thanks to you after a few days with Sango, Kagome'll never want to see me again."

There was a long pause over the line and Miroku gave a nervous chuckle. "Well, I'd love to chat some more, but I really gotta get some things done..."

* * *

Kagome unlocked the door to her apartment and kicked her shoes off. "Oh my gosh! My feet are killing me!" She exclaimed and tossed the red heels in a closet.

Sango laughed and closed the door behind her. "You're the one that decided stilettos would be a good choice for today." She tossed her own heels into the closet and pulled the pins from her hair. "There's a group of us going to the karaoke bar tonight. You in?"

Kagome shook her head and walked behind the kitchen bar, grabbing a bottle of soda from the mini fridge and tossed another to Sango. "Nah. I think I'm just going to stay in tonight and relax. I'll probably do a facial and mani/pedi." She grinned. "You should stay in with me - we could give each other spa treatments."

The other girl shook her head. "I don't think so. Jenenji and Jakotsu had a bet going at work. Whichever one lost had to perform in front of the crowd tonight instead of in the private box. I can't wait to see Jakotsu's rendition of Madonna."

Kagome grinned. "Like a virgin," she sang into the top of her coke bottles, "touched for the very first time! Oh!" She Boy George'd across the room and nearly spilled her coke.

Both girls laughed and went to their separate rooms to change; Sango into something appropriate for a club and Kagome into her comfortable pajamas. Kagome was already curled up on the couch when Sango came back out and sat on the couch arm.

"Seriously, Kag-chan, you should go with us. You hardly go out at all." She touched her friend's shoulder. "Kouga was asking about you today. He said you hardly said three words the last time the two of you went to dinner and he hasn't heard from you since. That was three months ago."

Kagome shrugged. "He's just not my type," she explained. "I mean, he's a great guy and all, but I'm not attracted to him."

"Is it because of Inuyasha?" Sango's features softened and she gave her a sympathetic look. "It's been a year, Kagome. You should have gotten over him by now."

"I _am_ over him, I just don't feel like dating, okay?"

Standing, Sango grabbed her jacket and went for the front door. "Good 'cause I'm sure he's over you. I wouldn't be surprised if Kikyo helped him with it either." She ignored the way Kagome's jaw clenched. "Call Kouga. Make a date with him. Get on with your life."

She was gone before Kagome could argue.

"So what if he is with Kikyo," she muttered and grabbed the phone and phonebook, flipping through the pages. "It's not like we're together anymore. For her information I have gotten on with my life. This just happens to be the way I like it."

As if they had a mind of their own, her fingers dialed a number she thought she'd long ago forgotten. After three long rings, Inuyasha's voice drifted to her from the answering machine and she sighed. _Probably out with Kikyo..._

"If you're calling 'bout the car, I sold it."

She frowned. He couldn't be talking about the mustang, could he? Inuyasha _loved _that car. Probably more than he'd ever loved her _or_ Kikyo. What on earth would possess him to sell it?

"If this is Tuesday night, I'm bowling."

Bowling? Since when did Inuyasha bowl? _Oh yeah, Miroku_. She'd forgotten the lecher had taken up the sport just before she'd left. He'd probably talked Inuyasha into joining him.

"If you've got something to sell, you're wasting your time. I'm not buying. If it's anybody else, wait for the tone, you know what to do."

She reached to hang up, not in the mood to leave a message and not knowing what she'd say anyway, but his last words caught her attention.

"P.S. if this is Kagome, I still love you."

The phone slid from her hands and bounced on the carpeted floor. Of all the things he might have said, she had not been expecting that.

Recovering a small part of her mind, she scooped up the receiver and hit the 'off' button. Her eyes drifted shut and she concentrated on taking deep breaths. What man would hang on for so long? Had she really been that blind? Had he really loved her that much, so much that even after a year, he was still waiting for her to come back?

And how did she feel about him?

Kagome crawled onto her bed, lying on her stomach, and dug a photo frame from under the bed. It was a picture of her and Inuyasha at the park in Tokyo. Her arms were around his neck and he had held the camera out at arms length to capture both of them while she kissed his cheek.

_Inuyasha..._

* * *

The next three days had passed in a blur and she hadn't been able to concentrate. She hadn't told Sango about her phone call to Inuyasha because she needed time to contemplate where she stood on her feelings for him. Was she truly over him as she had said or was her heart still holding out for him?

Finally, three nights later, Sango had again gone out with a group of co-works and Kagome had stayed home alone. As soon as the door was closed, she had grabbed the phone and dialed. Still unsure of what she was going to say or do, she could only hope that Inuyasha would give her the chance to figure it out.

_Ring._

_Ring._

_Ring._

"If it's Friday night, I'm at the ball game and first thing Saturday, if it don't rain, I'm headed out to the lake and I'll be gone all weekend long. But I'll call you back when I get home on Sunday afternoon. And P.S. if this is Kagome, I still love you."

Kagome took a deep breath and waited for the tone. She recited the apartment number and hung up, not saying another word. If he called her back the next day, she would explain things. Hopefully by then she would have figured out how.

* * *

Inuyasha threw his overnight bag in a chair and hit the play button on his answering machine. The past two days had been the most relaxing he'd had in nearly a year and he almost regretting having to come back from the cabin.

"It's Miroku. Call me as soon as you get in, bro. I met these two fine ass women and get this, their sisters. I figured me and you and -" he hit the delete button and rolled his eyes. Some people never changed.

"Baby, it's Kikyo -" he hit the delete button again, scowling at the machine. Kikyo had been the reason Kagome left him and he hadn't spoken to her since that day.

"Oh...uh...555-459-2394..."

Well, that was interesting. He replayed the message and jotted the number on a notepad and went to shower.

When he reemerged, he picked up the phone and paused. He really wasn't that interested in Miroku's sisters, but he would call him back eventually. First, however, he intended to find out who that number had belonged to.

* * *

Kagome dove for the phone and checked the caller id. On the third ring she took a deep breath and answered. "If you're calling 'bout my heart, it's still yours. I should've listened to it a little more. Then it wouldn't have taken me so long to know where I belong. And, by the way boy, this is no machine you're talking to. Can't you tell? This is Kagome and I still love you."

She waited and was met by only silence. Seconds slid by and she began to wonder if he'd even stayed on the line long enough to hear what she'd had to say. She'd planned it all night too.

"Kagome?" He barely breathed her name.

"Yeah."

She could hear him exhale a deep breath. "I was beginning to think you'd never call."

She gave a nervous laugh. "I didn't plan to but then I meant to call a friend on Tuesday night and I ended up dialing you and hearing your message on the machine...I was too shocked to say anything...I thought it was a mistake or something, but when I called again Saturday..." She trailed off. "Inuyasha? Did you really mean it?"

He smiled, knowing she'd hear it in his voice. "Of course I meant it. I kept hoping you'd call and I wanted to make sure you knew I hadn't forgotten you, even if I wasn't home."

Her breath caught in her throat and she closed her eyes as the first drops rolled down her cheek. "Oh, Inuyasha, I'm so sorry! I'm surprised you don't hate me for leaving the way I did...I just couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't take not trusting you and arguing with you. I hated it. I hated it so much."

"No, don't cry. I hate it when you cry, you know." He ached to put his arms around her and brush her tears away. "It's okay, all of it. I don't blame you for not trusting me. Hell, I probably would've felt the same way if the situation was reversed, but Kagome, you have to believe me, I've always loved you. I don't know what got into me, but I never stopped loving you and I never will."

She sniffled and wiped her own eyes with the back of her hand. "I don't care about that anymore. It's not that important to me now."

"She's gone, Kagome. I haven't spoken to her since the night you left. I changed cell numbers so she couldn't call me and I made sure my secretary knows she isn't to be allowed near my office and I'm not taking any calls from her," he told her seriously. "She calls the house sometimes and leaves messages, but I don't return her calls. The only reason I haven't changed the house number is because I wanted you to be able to reach me. I want to earn your trust again."

Kagome broke into a new fit of sobs and buried her face in her pillow. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I wanna come home...I wanna be with you...I want to come home...I want to come home. Please, let me come back."

"Shhh...Hey now, stop that...it's gonna be okay." He glanced at the clock and then ran his hand through his bangs. "Look, I know it's late, but I bet I can still get a train to Kyoto. I can leave tonight and be there early tomorrow morning. How's that sound? Then I can help you pack up and we can come back here...or we can stay in Kyoto and get an apartment there. Whatever you want to do."

She started to calm down again and wiped her eyes once more. "Can I come back home with you?"

He smiled. "Of course."

"And Inuyasha?"

"Hmm?"

"I still love you."


	2. Come Back Home

Disclaimer: I've said it before and I'll say it again. I do not own Inuyasha. See, Rumiko Takahashi can be trusted with the kawaii koinu whereas I cannot. :) I don't own the lyrics to _Picture _either. If I did, I'd be spending the revenues instead of sitting here at work writing.

* * *

**Come Back Home

* * *

**

Based on the lyrics to _Picture_ performed by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow.

* * *

Miroku closed his eyes against the bright light of the midday sun and groaned, rolling over in the bed in an attempt to block out the blinding light. "Who's there?" He moaned, pulling the sheet over his head.

"It's me, Inuyasha," came the gruff answer as another set of curtains were thrown open, spreading more light through the bedroom.

There was a feminine gasp from the other side of the bed and he could feel the mattress and covers move as his bedfellow sat up. "Who're you? What're you doing here? Miroku, baby, why is there a strange man in your bedroom?" She demanded, giving him a pretty pout.

He slit his eyes open to look at her. She had blonde hair and he honestly didn't recognize her, though that didn't mean a lot given his activities over the past few days. "Mornin' doll," he slurred sleepily.

"Miroku -"

Inuyasha cut in, picking up a dress from the floor and throwing it at the girl. "Get out. Miroku and I have to have a talk."

She picked the dress up and looked at it, then brought innocent doe eyes up to look at Inuyasha. "This isn't mine."

"I don't give a flying fuck who's it is!" He roared angrily. "Put it on and get the hell out of here! NOW!"

"Do you mind keeping it down? My head's killing me." Miroku sat up and leaned against his headboard as the woman quickly threw the dress over her head and scurried out. When she was gone he yawned and reached to the bedside table for a glass of water only to find last night's vodka instead. He downed it in one gulp. "What is it my friend?"

Inuyasha scowled and picked up a shirt from the floor, throwing it and a pair of blue jeans onto the bed for Miroku to dress in. "Kagome's in the living room. I don't want her seeing what the rest of Tokyo obviously already has."

Miroku rolled his eyes and pulled the shirt on before fumbling through his bedside drawer for pain killers. "Ah, so the perfect Master Inuyasha has come to lecture his lowly friend once more, is that it?" He threw his head back and swallowed the pain killers without a drink and started tugging on his blue jeans. "Wasn't it only, what? Two weeks ago that you were still sleeping with Kikyo behind Kagome's back?"

He was not all that surprised when Inuyasha's fist sent him reeling back onto the mattress. The recently ended affair was still a very sore subject between the couple and Inuyasha hated having it used against him by anyone.

"I was wrong and I'm man enough to admit it. And I'm strong enough to insure that it never happens again," the young man growled, violet eyes flashing menacingly in the sunlight.

Miroku sat up, rubbing his sore jaw. "The point is, I don't want or need your lectures. I'm a big boy and can handle myself. What I do with my life is my concern." He glanced at his alarm clock and made a face. "Gah, I don't think I've been up before sunset in the past three days. Was there something else, Inuyasha?"

His friend shook his head. "Man, you don't know what a good thing you're giving up."

The other boy shrugged and pulled his shoulder length hair back in a small band. "Sango will forgive me in a few days and we'll be back like we were. She always does."

"Keh. Not this time bro. She left this morning; took a job in Kyoto and says she ain't coming back. You lost her man."

Miroku fell back onto the bed and stared at the wall, hands limp in his lap. "Gone? Really?" He looked to Inuyasha who nodded and then glanced at the dresser. He'd turned over all the pictures of Sango that were in the room so that he wouldn't feel she was watching him while he relieved himself with other women, but he'd never imagined she'd actually leave him. "Damn."

"I'd get my act together if I were you, dude. With some luck, you might still have a chance." He glanced at his watch and then back at Miroku. "Look, Kagome and I are going to dinner tonight. You wanna come?"

Miroku smiled slightly. "Nah. I think I'll just stick around here and clean up a little. I'd probably just make Kagome uncomfortable."

"Be careful bro."

"You, too."

* * *

Sango made her bed thinking about the month before. Kagome had taken her out to a new club in town in the hopes of making her feel better. However, when they'd walked through the hotel lobby towards the club entrance, she'd seen Miroku at the registration desk with three skantily dressed females hanging all over him. She'd confronted him of course, and he had tried to think of some excuse while the receptionist and the three girls looked at her with something akin to pity in their eyes. She hated that look more than she hated Miroku's lecherous tendencies. It was as if they felt sorry that she couldn't do better than a skirt chasing sports reporter.

Not once since she'd left had he called her and she couldn't help but wonder what he was up to. When Kagome had moved in a few days before, she had told her he'd spent most of the first week after her departure in a drunken haze. It didn't surprise her. That's how he usually spent the time during their fights. What had she ever seen in him anyway?

The water shut off and she heard movement in the bathroom that separated her room and the guest room, now Kagome's sleeping quarters. Suikotsu would be coming in in a few minutes to get dressed for work. Once her boyfriend had started staying overnight, she had gone through and removed every trace of Miroku from the apartment, hoping to erase any ties to that part of her life.

They were over and good riddance to him. At least this way Miroku could have all the women he wanted without her to tie him down and she could find the serious relationship she'd been searching for.

* * *

Kagome walked with Sango to the lobby. The two were on their way to visit Kagome's mother at her grandfather's shrine on the other side of town. They had both grown up together in Tokyo and Mrs. Higarashi was like a second mother to her and this would have been her first visit since Kagome had moved back in with Inuyasha.

She still wondered at her friends ability to forgive her two-timing boyfriend, now fiancé. Then again, it wasn't as if Inuyasha had made a habit out of his unfaithfulness unlike his life-long friend. Why couldn't Miroku have been more like that? She wondered. If it weren't for the affairs he would have been a really great guy to have in her life.

As they started for the door the doorman opened it for an incoming guest. All three stopped in mid-step to stare at each other. She knew Inuyasha had made plans to go watch the game at some sports bar with a friend of his, but she had never dreamed that it would be _him_.

"Oh! Miroku," Kagome greeted, glancing nervously between the two. "I thought you weren't meeting Inuyasha for another half hour."

He shrugged, his eyes never leaving Sango. "I thought I'd drop by a little early. I forgot you had a guest." He nodded to her. "Sango...how have you been?"

She forced a smile. "Good, thanks. I'm working for a big publishing company in Kyoto now. Kagome probably told you about it. She worked there for a while when she and Inuyasha split up."

He nodded, his eyes flicking to Kagome and then back to Sango.

"So, how have you been, Miroku?" She asked conversationally, personally ready to flee. "Still working for the newspaper?"

"I am, actually." He nodded to them both. "Well, it was good seeing you again."

"You, too."

Kagome linked her arm through Sango's and tugged her towards the door. She peered at the girl from the corner of her eye, giving her an appraising look. Sango quirked her brow curiously. "What?"

"You're not over him," Kagome stated and held up a hand to halt her arguments. "Say it all you want to, but it won't make it true. I know, I've been there, remember? I could argue till I was blue in the face that I was past Inuyasha, but in the end my heart always belonged to him. Just like yours still belongs to Miroku."

Sango narrowed her eyes. "Please, it was so obvious you still had feelings for Inuyasha. You wouldn't even date anyone a year after you split up! _I_, on the other hand, have moved on to bigger and better things."

Kagome laughed. "Oh my gosh! Moved on? Sango, you've had _how_ many boyfriends in _how_ many months?"

The other girl glared down at her friend. What did it matter? "Seven in eighteen months, which is not that bad. And I had legitimate reasons for breaking up with each and every one of them."

"Okay," the other girl said slowly, thoughtfully. "What about Suikotsu?"

Sango snorted. "Way too bi-polar. One second he was cute and cuddly and the next he was distant and mean."

Her friend nodded. "Okay, I'll give you that one. How about Menomaru?"

"How can you even ask that? He was way too pretty boy. Come on Kagome, did you see how long he spent on his _hair_?" She chuckled. "You know, sometimes I wonder if he might have been better off with Jakotsu."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Houjou?"

"Too clingy."

"Hiten?"

"Oh, come on! What kind of guy doesn't like sports?"

"Hakkaku?"

Sango made a growling sound in the back of her throat. "Alright! Alright! You've made your point already. Look, just because I haven't found the right guy yet doesn't mean I'm not over Miroku."

Kagome gave an exasperated sigh. "Sango, I'm just saying that you should think about it. Can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me that you haven't compared every single one of those guys to Miroku and _that's _the real reason you broke up with them."

Sango opened her mouth to contradict her, but nothing came out and she sighed, unable to argue any longer.

* * *

Miroku groaned loudly and tossed his jacket on the back of a chair. "You didn't tell me your _guest_ was Sango," he accused, glaring at his supposed best friend. "She and Kagome were leaving the lobby when I came in."

Inuyasha shrugged. "I didn't see the point in bringing it up. She didn't want to see you and you didn't want to see her...did you?"

"Even if I wanted to see her, like you said, she doesn't want to see me."

Inuyasha shoved a beer in his friends hands and popped the top on his own. "Dude, you look like shit. When was the last time you slept?"

He popped the lid off his beer and took a long gulp. "I don't know. I met some chick Friday night and took her home with me. I spent the last two days trying to get rid of her without having to say her name." He grinned sheepishly. "I didn't remember it."

Inuyasha shook his head put on his own jacket, dropping his keys in his pocket. "Don't you ever get tired of it? Don't you ever just want to say to hell with it all and try a serious relationship."

Miroku shrugged on his own coat and gave a reluctant sigh, following his friend out the door. "Honestly? Yeah, sometimes I see you and Kagome together acting all lovey-dovey and I think that it might be nice to have someone to be like that with; someone worth getting to know for more than just one night..."

"But?"

"None of them can even compare to Sango."

* * *

Sango folded her few clothes and packed them into her small suitcase. Kagome and Inuyasha had gone to Souta's soccer game as it was the final of the season. She had needed to back and so had opted to stay home.

The house phone rang and, out of habit, she answered it. "Taishou residence."

The voice on the other line faltered slightly. "Sango?"

She set down the small pile of pants she'd been about to lay in her suitcase and sat on the couch. "Yes, this is she. Miroku?"

"Yeah."

"Inuyasha's not at home. He and Kagome went to her brother's soccer game. They probably won't be back for another few hours, but I'll tell him you called."

"Uh...well, Sango...I wasn't calling to talk to Inuyasha," he admitted. "I actually was hoping to talk to you."

To say she was shocked would have been an understatement. "About what, Miroku?"

"I was cleaning up today and I came across this old picture...the one of us from a New Years a few years ago? I hadn't seen it in ages, but I started thinking about you and...well...I realized some things."

"And what would that be?" She sounded skeptical.

He sighed. "I realized that I haven't really been happy since you left. I realized that I was an idiot to ever let you go in the first place and...well...I miss you Sango. I miss being able to talk to you and see you."

She bit her lip to keep from admitting she'd been feeling the same way since her visit to Tokyo. "What's your point?"

"What I'm trying to say, Sango, is that I was hoping you might give me another chance - not as a boyfriend," he added quickly, "but just as a friend. I know I was wrong and I want to change. I can't promise overnight results, but if you give me the chance maybe I can prove to you I really mean it."

"I'm not moving back to Tokyo."

"You don't have to."

"And I won't stop seeing other guys, if I find one that I want to date."

"I didn't expect you to."

She paused, thinking it over. "Just friends?"

He smiled. "Just friends...for now."

* * *

A/N: Okay, just to save on confusion, this oneshot takes place during the same time as the previous oneshot. When it starts out, Inu and Kag haven't separated yet but Sango and Miroku have. In the middle, Kag's living with Sango during her fight with Inu. At the end, Kag's moved back in with Inu and is engaged.:) Got it?


End file.
